Advancements in computing and communications technology have significantly altered business practices regarding document creation and use. A great many, if not most, documents are created, used, and stored in electronic formats. Such use typically includes annotation and editing functions. In current systems, annotations and edits can be performed using common input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse. Other devices, such a pen-based input devices can also be used.
Some existing systems allow a user to make freeform digital ink annotations on a document, and to store such annotations with the document in a variety of ways. For example, the annotations may be treated as a separate layer of graphics over the content of a document, or they may be treated as graphics that are integrated in a graphical representation of the content of the document.
Digital ink annotations or revision markings in electronic documents used by such systems are not truly integrated with the actual document contents with which the annotations or revisions are associated, however. Current systems limit the ability of a user to modify a document's content with digital ink annotations or revision markings, and none to our knowledge support the ability to take action based on a user's digital ink annotations.